Four Crystal Secrets
by LilAngelLady21
Summary: (AU-ish)Legends and truths are revealed from the long forgotten past when the quest for the Shikon puts our heroes up against darker evils and in search of other powerful demonic artifacts. (Spoiler Warning!)
1. The Mystery Miko

Disclaimer: InuYasha, its plot, characters, and all that good stuff are sole property of Rumiko Takahashi. I don't own or claim credit for any of that, although I wish I could because it's uber-good in my opinion. I only claim my own characters and plot stuffs. Also, I haven't gotten through the full series or any of the movies so if some of the stuff I bring up in this fic are different in the series, please forgive me! I will change some of the plot around for my plot purposes but I don't think I'll be fiddling with it too much. Maybe just the ending... I'll have to decide when I get there... Enjoy!

Four souls in one crystal, four souls in every heart. But every soul has a body somewhere... Perhaps the secret of the power of InuYasha's family is linked to the Shikon no Tama in more ways than one. Legends and truths are revealed from the long forgotten past when the quest for the Shikon puts our heroes up against darker evils and in search of other powerful demonic artifacts.

_**Four Crystal Secrets**_

_**Prologue**_

"All life shall come from us." The fiery Phoenix said as she stood on a tall mountain with her three companions. "We have been given this task by Izanagi and so it shall be done." They leapt from the edge and beams of light burst forth from them. The fire bird, thunder wolf, gale hawk, and tsunami bear roamed the world over creating creatures of all kinds. They made mortals to tame the wilds and oni to protect them. But all light casts a shadow and evil crept on to the face of the world. The oni were targeted because of their power and soon many became corrupt. The four Ancient Oni getting on in age endowed humans with the mystical powers to combat the evil oni and to protect the innocent. Not all humans inherited this power but the strongest of heart and spirit. One, a priestess excelled beyond all others and it was within her that the four Ancients made the tomb of their souls. But their bodies they buried separately fearing what might happen if a being became powerful enough to resurrect them and control their incredible power. Some oni remained true to their calling to protect but they slowly started dying off leaving only the evil ones. Some still exist though with good hearts.

"So do you know where they Ancients are buried?" An attentive little girl asked the gray-haired woman lying in the bed next to her. "Do you momma?"

"I don't believe anyone does Dear." The elderly woman replied.

"Sakusai." A tall white haired man whispered.

"Saikoinu." The woman whispered with a weak smile.

"It's time isn't it?" He asked kneeling beside her and taking her hand.

"Soon." She whispered in response closing her eyes and gripping her hand.

"Momma's going to die isn't she?" The little girl whispered to Saikoinu. He simply nodded. A few minutes later in one last fleeting breath, the miko passed on. Saikoinu buried her behind the house and took the little girl with him. "Where are we going?"

"You're going to live with me now." He replied smiling.

"You have a chip in your tooth." She pointed out carefully. "Did you break it on a chicken bone?"

"Not exactly..." He replied gripping the hilt of his sword with his other hand and smiling. "When we get there, don't mind the boys. They probably won't like you at first." He warned.

"Saikoinu, are you my Poppa now?" He smiled and nodded gently before slinging her carefully on his back and dashing off down the road.

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_**Chapter 1: The Mystery Miko**_

"They say she has the power to heal people with just her blood!" An old priestess gushed to a younger one as they walked through the forest.

"I heard that there's a legend warning against a miko like that. The legend says her blood makes oni stronger." The younger one replied cautiously.

"Makes oni stronger, eh?" A wolf eared boy thought to himself as he dropped down from the trees. "I'll have to check this out." He snickered and took off towards the temple of this mysterious miko. He was shocked when he got there and found a huge precession riding away from it. "Hmmm... I smell blood." He smiled and followed it's scent to one particular room.

"She's been unconscious for two days with this letting. It's all because she can't refuse someone in need." An old monk said to a younger one as they walked out of the room. "I'm afraid if she gives one drop more she'll kill herself."

"Is only all those warlords weren't so selfish." The younger one muttered. "They expect so much from her."

"Yes and now she's so weak her own wounds aren't healing as they should." The older one muttered shaking his head. The wolf eared boy jumped down off the roof and slipped into the room. He froze in his tracks when he spotted a girl... Not some big and strong miko one imagines but a girl no more than 13 or 14. Her slit wrist daggled over a small cup gathering the stray drops of blood. The boy looked at her and something inside of him seemed to scream that he had seen this face before but he couldn't remember where. He eyed the cup beside her but dismissed the thought. He slipped out of the room and disappeared into the nearby forest.

"I thought I might spare her the pain and kill her for her blood..." He thought flicking his long silver hair from his face. "But I can't kill a kid... Especially when I feel like she can tell me something... But what?"

The sun shone brightly over the trees as the young priestess rested alone under a tree. "What a wonderful thirteenth birthday." She mused taking a deep breath. She had made a full recovery from her last major letting but still felt very weak. A loud crack sound rang through the woods and echoed off the numerous trees. "That was no branch breaking!" She gasped bolting to her feet. She ran down one of the narrow paths towards the source of the sound. The sight of two onis fighting each other caused her to slide to a stop and hide behind a tree.

In a sudden burst of speed, the larger one charged forward and drove it's claws into the smaller one. The smaller one howled in pain and doubled over. Something about the whole sight made the miko's blood boil and she couldn't understand why. The larger one reared up for what would prove to be its fail attack and before she could stop herself she was walking towards them. An immense heat overcame her as she spoke.

"Leave him alone!" She shouted angrily. The oni simply smirked and whip his long white hair out of the way. He sent a long yellow energy whip rushing forward but it was met unexpectedly. It wrapped around her arm and with one tug, she broke it.

"A strong holy miko I see." He muttered with a voice of indifference. "No matter. One less youkai hunter." With that he charged her with his claws bared ready to deal her the same fate as the smaller oni. An unknown force engulfed her and she brought her flaming hands up and fixed her blank red eyes on the attacker. A huge column of fire burst from every fiber of her being and engulfed him burning up the toxic gas pouring from his hand and multiplying the effect. When the flames, which amazingly didn't harm anything but the oni, died down he was gone. She walked over to the smaller oni and slit her hand open on a sharp rock before pressing it on his wound. He stared at her blank eyes with shock on his face.

"Why is she helping me? What's wrong with her eyes? Ah... It really is making me feel stronger..." Her eyes returned to their normal brown color and she blinked a few times as she stared at the healing wound in the oni's chest. Her eyes closed and she fell forward on to him. "This is no ordinary miko. I swear I smell oni on her but she's mortal. It's probably just from the battle." He grabbed her to carry her away. As he grabbed her, a strange energy surged through him and his mind blanked. Images began filling his mind that he didn't recognize and he couldn't stop.

"Where did she come from?" A worried priest asked looking down at a little girl with cuts all over her.

"We found her like this one the side of the road." Another answered. "Hey what is this?" He asked pulling a small red jewel from a wound in her chest. "I never noticed this before..."

"Put it back or give it to me." The other priest demanded. "If it was in her it's clear it is destined to her. This is no ordinary girl we must take care of her and see what the truth of her power is." He went on gravely. "This is a perplexing child indeed..." The image broke and the boy's eyes snapped open and he looked down at her in a cold sweat.

"No kidding." He muttered laying her down on the ground. He grabbed his shirts from beside the nearby stream and wrapped her up. He took her to the cave he'd been staying in nearby and left her to sleep. "Why did I stick around this dump?" He wondered to himself angrily. "All it's been is trouble." He groaned. "Still something tells me to protect her... Besides the fact that she can make me stronger..." He perched himself in a tree outside of the cave a lazily guarded the entrance for reasons he couldn't understand.


	2. An Unlikely Ally

A/N: I was recently made aware of the fact that in tao there are four beings that helped with creation. I didn't know this and just randomly threw some out there and together. I was also made aware that the story may be a bit confusing. I'm sorry for this and I'll try to clarify things. Some of it maybe plot and if that's the case it will all make sense in the next few chapters. Sorry for the flashbacks but I couldn't think of a better way to do what I wanted done without giving things away too soon.

_**Chapter 2: An Unlikely Ally**_

"Are you sure she would have strayed this far from the temple? There could be oni out here." One priest called to another.

"She goes out of the protective barrier all the time so of course she would be out here. Of course the one time she doesn't come back something would get her." The other called back.

"Her miko powers are strong though don't you think she can take care of herself by now?" The younger one called again as they combed the forest.

"She was still weak from the last letting. Stupid daimyos why can't they just leave her alone? Besides you know she'll never be as strong as the miko Kikyo. You know the one from the temple on the other side of the forest." The older one called back. "Now she could probably kill any demon that came her way."

"You're right about her not being as strong as Kikyo but they did train with the same teacher so perhaps she's strong enough to defeat the petty demons around here. And as for the damiyos. Well she's gotten them all to promise to never fight or recruit on the lands around the forest and the temples around it. So that way it can be a haven for the war torn. And she gives all of the money as offerings to the temple to be given out to the needy." The younger one called again.

"Yes but how much of that is lining the head priest's pockets? He's been acting mighty strange if you ask me..." The other one went on as they joined up on one of the paths.

"I know what you mean." They walked on down the path not knowing that there were attentive ears listening in overhead.

"Barrier? If it were to keep oni out how could I get into the temple? And this head priest sounds shady... I don't think I'll take her back just yet." The dog-eared boy thought to himself as he stealthily leapt from tree to tree following them. "I wonder who Kikyo is... Oh well no matter I'll never need to know her anyway."

"Looks like we start making offerings to the forest god to bring her back safely."

"Indeed." They turned around and started back to the temple. The boy took off towards the cave again.

"What's this? I smell oni..." He hissed increasing his speed. Sure enough there was a huge and hideous spider clawing at the opening of the cave trying to get at what's was inside. "Child's play." The boy snorted baring his claws. He reared back to strike the beast when it suddenly exploded releasing a spray of foul smelling body parts and liquid everywhere. He caught one whiff of it and collapsed on the ground unconscious.

"Oh that's horrible!" The miko screeched as she covered her nose with her sleeve as she stumble out of the cave and into the forest. She gasped when she saw the wolf-eared boy lying on the ground motionless. She rushed over ready to heal him when she realized he wasn't hurt. "The smell." She gasped as she grabbed his arms and slowly dragged him into the cave. She stripped off his shirts and ran over to the river to wash them; she had left one of hers to filter out the smell. She had just got back when he started coming to. He leapt to his feet then sank down on his haunches like a dog. Her shirt slowly ruffled to the ground and he glanced at it then up at her.

"Who are you?" He growled looking at her with dark yellow eyes. She looked at him a bit shocked then slowly reached his shirts out to him.

"My name is Shinseina Sesshoku." She replied as he snatched his shirts from her hastily. "I'm a priestess at the temple nearby. You got knocked out by the smell of that stink spider's blood so I washed your shirts to help you recover from it faster." She went on as she picked up her own shirt and dusted it off. "Who are you?" She asked looking back up at him with bright kind eyes.

"Are you sure you're mortal?" He asked defensively as his body eased a bit.

"Could I be a miko and have miko powers if I weren't? And would I look human?" She giggled a bit.

"I've never heard of a oni miko but we can look like humans." He snorted.

"Yes that would explain you wouldn't it?" She conceded with a nod.

"Only the strongest can take on a human form." He added with a hint of boastfulness.

"Well thank you for guarding me these few days." She replied bowing. "It was very kind of you mister strong human like youkai." She looked at him and cocked her head and got a strange look on her face. "But you aren't a youkai are you?" She asked looking like she was looking more through him than at him.

"How did you know that? How did you know you've been here a few days?" He asked digging his claws into the dirt.

"I don't know... I can feel something distinctly human in you. As for how I knew how long I've been here. I could feel the heat from the sun on my feet. I was awake some of the time I just couldn't move." She explained losing the far off, distracted tone in her voice.

"That's another thing. How did you produce flames like that which only burned what you wanted them to burn? I've never heard of any miko having powers like that." She looked at him in genuine confusion and shook her head.

"I don't know what you're talking about... All I remember is there being a fight between you and something else and running and I think I passed out as I was running because I don't remember anything after that." She explained with an unsure voice.

"You mean you don't remember?" He asked standing up straight. She shook her head. "Stay here." He said walking past her and out of the cave. "You're not going back to the temple until I'm sure of some things."

"But... What use do you have for me?" She wondered fearfully.

"For one thing I heard some priests from the temple talking about your head priest. I don't trust him. Along with a lot of other things. They said they were going to start making offerings to the forest god for your safe return so that's going to be your dinner." He explained before disappearing from view into the treetops.

"This is all very odd. He didn't even give me his name. But he's right I can't go back just yet. I don't trust the head priest either anymore." She sighed and sat down in the back of the cave. "He has a pure heart so I'm safe with him for now." She drifted off to sleep as nightfall came but not before scrawling something on the wall of the cave with a rock. "What's your name?" It asked plainly and simply. When she woke up the next morning there was a basket of vegetables on the ground next to her and a letter scrawled on the wall.

"An I." She whispered tracing it with her finger. "Well then one letter at a time it is." She nodded and set about eating some of the food. She left the rest for her guardian as she deemed him then went out into the woods. She walked slowly and lazily down one of the trails until she froze in place and looked around slowly. "I feel an evil presence." She muttered and raced down the path. "The village!" She screamed in her mind as she slid to a stop just inside the gates. All of the inhabitants had been slaughtered mercilessly. She slit her wrist on a spear and started running around dousing everyone she could find with a bit of blood here and there. In the end she wasted a great deal of it and could only save a quarter of the residents. She panted and dropped to her knees as they gathered around her and praised her.

"The good pure miko has saved us!" One little girl cheered. Sesshoku smiled warily then collapsed. There were sudden screams as a cold gust of wind rushed around her.

"It's an oni!" Someone screamed and there could be heard sounds of people running away as she was picked up and carried off.

"Stupid girl. Foolish and naïve mortal." A woman's voice hissed. "You came right into my trap. Which is fortunate. It saves me the trouble coming looking for you or dealing with all those supposed holy people of the temple." Sesshoku dropped out of the man arm's that was carrying her.

"Go on! I can take care of this oni trash!" She ordered with a toughness in her voice. She glanced down at her wrist, which was almost healed. "Slow but I think I can manage." She thought looking up at a woman who was floating over her. She was clad in all black so Sesshoku knew she was a kuromiko. "Why did you do this?" She hissed staring her down with intense eyes.

"Did I not just say this was a trap?" The dark miko hissed again laughing. "Now then to take you back to my mistress!" She lunged down and grabbed her and took off into the air.

"I'd rather die than be used by evil! Soul Piercing Strike!" She put her hands together so her index fingers and thumbs were touching. As she shouted the incantation purple energy shot out and pierced through the kuromiko's shoulder. She howled in pain and let go of Sesshoku; unconscious she plummeted to the ground. Just before impact she landed on something soft. There was something comforting in where she now lay and she snuggled in the warm, soft, fluff.

"What the Hell! Give her back!" The kuromiko hissed gripping her bleeding shoulder. A hand grabbed the young priestess and pulled her down into warm strong arms.

"Now if she really has the power you think she has why would I do that? She may be of some use to me." An unfamiliar voice answered. But the voice wasn't entirely unfamiliar; she had heard it before it just wasn't the one she thought it would be.

"What the Hell are you doing back around here?" Now that voice she knew. It was the dog-eared boy!

"Well isn't this a pleasant surprise? A showdown between a youkai, a filthy hanyou, and an insolent dark priestess. All over one mortal girl. Ironic isn't it? Well then let's get this over with so you can stop wasting my time." The one with Sesshoku replied indifferently.

"Don't rescue me... I can't prove myself to you if you rescue me..." Sesshoku muttered still unconscious as her freshly healed wrist slipped and dangled over his arm. Everyone looked at her a bit in shock.


	3. The Answers Within

_**Chapter 3: The Answers Within**_

"How does she know me? I've never seen her before in my life!" Sesshomaru thought a bit repulsed. A strange sort of compassion overcame him and he slowly walked over and sat her down out of the way. "Take her out of here." He said looking at the other oni. "I'll take care of this but she's going to get hurt if she sticks around unconscious."

"You know she's the one who torched you before right?" The dog-eared boy asked warily as he walked over and picked her up on his back. Sesshomaru simply nodded and walked away. "I don't believe this..." He started running away with Sesshoku; as he ran he could hear the sounds of a fierce battle behind them. His load became extremely light as Sesshoku slid off and started running back toward the battle. "What the? What are you doing?!" He yelled staring at her for a second trying to comprehend what was going on. He finally took off running after her but he couldn't catch her before she made it back to the village. He slid to a stop in time to watch the kuromiko send out hundreds of huge black energy bolts. They solidified the closer they got and Sesshomaru couldn't dodge all of them. One shot through his left shoulder and another through his leg.

"Sesshomaru!" She screamed and raced towards him as he was pinned to a tree. She was stopped when her hand was grabbed. "Let go of me I have to help him! He helped me and now I owe him!" She screamed ripping her hand away and running again. Everyone looked at her funny as she ran up and pulled the shards out of him with strength she shouldn't possess. She used one to slit her wrist open and let blood drip on his wounds. He cocked his head and stared at her with indifferent eyes as something came to him, some long forgotten memory of something he shouldn't remember. Sesshoku when she was little.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked as he felt the strength of her blood overcome him and his wounds healed. "You know I'm just going to kill you later." She looked up at him and smiled.

"If you were going to kill me, you would have done it long before now. One day I'll be the strongest miko in the world and then it won't matter. You won't have to worry about me." His eyes got big as the long forgotten memory suddenly came back to him. Another shard ran through her back and hit him in the right shoulder. "Stay here." She gasped pulling herself off of the shard. "I'll be back." He looked at her strangely as her eyes glazed over and there was a glowing spot in her chest. She turned around walked out in the middle of the village. Overhead, the kuromiko who needless to say looked ravaged but still very much in fighting spirits waited.

"I'll never work for you or your mistress! For everyone you've killed here I can not forgive you! I can not forgive myself for letting it happen! All I can do is avenge them!" Sesshoku shouted as flames started engulfing her. The dog-eared boy looked on in awe until he noticed a bright shining spot in her chest. The kuromiko noticed it as well and seemed to think it had something to do with Sesshoku's power.

"So that's it is it? You're not really some all powerful miko! You're just harnessing the power of a demonic talisman!" She screeched laughing. "Well then I'll have it!" She bolted down towards Sesshoku at tremendous speed. A huge fireball engulfed the girl as a form of protection. The kuromiko encased herself in her dark liquid as she entered the fire; there was a huge crack and a scream indicating it had done little good. The fireball erupted engulfing the entire village but burning nothing; nothing but the kuromiko who was clutching Sesshoku's neck driving long nails into it. For a split second, as the fire died down and Sesshoku struggled to free herself, the boy swore her hair flashed white. He shook it off and bolted forward baring his claws.

"Sankon Tetsuo!" He shouted as bright gold energy slashed through the kuromiko splitting her into little pieces. Sesshoku gasped and clutched her chestas she collapsed face first into the dirt. Sesshomaru walked over gripping his shoulder and pried the kuromiko's hand off of her throat. He had pulled himself free and was watching her carefully.

"Take care of her InuYasha. She's of no use to me weak and dead. I'll come for her soon." He replied as he took to the air.

"This is all a little creepy." InuYasha thought picking the girl up and walking back with her. "Who the Hell are you really?" He wondered as he carried her back to the cave. As he laid her down he noticed that there was a smoldering part in her chest where he had seen the light before. He carefully moved her shirt aside and saw a small red crystal with a minute crack in it embedded in her chest. It began to glow faintly before the crack completely disappeared. He made the mistake of grabbing her arm as he leaned in closer and another strange feeling over came him as his thoughts began to be controlled again.

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A tall and strong looking oni who greatly resembled Sesshomaru was standing over a cowering mortal who was begging for forgiveness. "I'm so sorry Saikoinu I couldn't control myself! I couldn't stop myself from opening the door for them! I must make it up to you for all of the pain I've brought upon your family." The oni named Saikoinu reached down and picked the man up and looked at him.

"You must protect her from now on then." He replied turning around and picking up a young and bleeding Sesshoku. "You'll do as I instruct and in the end become what you serve." He pulled up a small bag from his side and from it pulled a small red jewel and placed it in a wound in her chest. As he did so a ghostly figure of a woman appeared before them.

"So long as she protects the jewel I will maintain the enchantments. I am bound to protect the jewel and so long as she has it I will keep her safe."

"Fuyuhana." Saikoinu whispered as a tear welled up in his eye.

"She wasn't my daughter but I love her dearly as if she were my own. First and foremost I am a miko and the guardian of the Fushichou no Haka. Protecting her in the process is merely an added joy. Good-bye my love." With that she disappeared into the jewel within Sesshoku. He handed her to the mortal servant and bid him go.

"Take her out to the busiest road and leave her. Stay with her until someone good and pure picks her up. When that is done come back here to finish the tasks at hand. I'll prepare my youngest to depart." Saikoinu ordered turning and walking away.

"But Master isn't she..."

"She's not truly my daughter and no she isn't a hanyou. I loved her mother dearly and so when she died I took in Sesshoku. As long as she's here though oni will believe she is what will make them invincible. For that reason, to protect her, I must let her go. Know and think of that for now. Good-bye my love." He came back and kissed her on the forehead.

"Poppa..." She muttered half conscious.

"Go on now Little One and never remember me or them..." He said making a strange mark on her forehead with his claw. Before it could heal closed he sprinkled something in it and it began to glow.

"Saikoinu, Sir, why did you do that?" The servant wondered in confused awe.

"Partly for the pain of separation and partly for the pride of the boys. Their pride and power grow everyday and should they meet her again in the future, they would not claim her as their adopted sister. Especially not Sesshomaru." The oni lord explained with a sigh.

"It is perhaps better this way because she can never live up to the promise she made to him." The servant sighed.

"Promise?"

"I'll explain when I return." With that he turned and raced down the stone paved walkway to the road and disappeared beyond the wall.

"We shall never meet again and with any luck you shall never know the truth."

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Inuyasha snapped out of the trance breathing hard. He slumped down on the ground and wiped the sweat from his brow as he stared wide-eyed at the girl. "So she is mortal but the miko spirit who was in charge of guarding that crystal is taking control of her body and using the crystal's power to protect it and her." He shook his head. "But who was that youkai who gave it to you? And why did he give it to you? For that matter what is it? And how is Sesshomaru involved? Are you really my adopted sister? Was that guy my uncle or something? I don't remember having an uncle. Why were you bleeding? Were you attacked and that servant let them in while they controlled his body?" He sighed and picked up a turnip from the basket and started munching on it. "Too many questions and strings attached to you girl. You're not worth my time and if it weren't for Sesshomaru wanting you so bad I'd leave you. You seem to be able to protect yourself." He slumped down and polished off the turnip before settling in to do some hard thinking.


	4. Hunted

_**Chapter 4: Hunted**_

"Well, well, well." A dark and eerie female's voice rang out in the darkness. "So the miko has some sort of demonic artifact? And she can control it... Interesting in deed. Well then Doriko's loss was unfortunate but we have gained valuable insight into this matter. Bring me the girl. She may not be the hanyou you two botched finding me years ago but she will do sufficiently. Perhaps more so alive than dead after all."

"Yes Mistress Shinimegami." A gruff man's voice replied with reverence. "We shall make up for our past failure and Doriko's." He stepped out of the shadows and it was clear he was no man. He was an oni, all black skinned with white hair and yellow eyes.

"I trust Kuraiyoru. You have been most helpful and valuable to me. Now go and do as I bid. Succeed and you and Kuroi shall be greatly rewarded." She waved a long clawed finger and he disappeared back into the darkness. "Once I ensnare her brain and control her powers then I shall find the four crystals and the Shikon no Tama. Foolish Naraku doesn't even know the strongest half of the power he could possess. None of those fools do. It pays to be an ancient. You know these things..." She snickered and let out a long chilling laugh the echoed and resonated in the space.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking Kuraiyoru?" Kuroi a shorter, yellow-skinned, black eyed, and white haired oni asked looking up at him.

"If you're thinking of slaughtering the girl for ourselves, indeed I am."

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"So InuYa..." Sesshoku said as she traced the newest letters on the wall. "Almost there." She smiled and sat down to eat the food he'd brought. She hadn't seen him at all since that day but that didn't bother her. She felt safe knowing he was around to protect her. "I really need to take a bath and wash these clothes she thought looking down at herself. I'll do that now." She wandered out of the cave and across the woods to the stream. She could feel decaying evil presences all around knew that her guardian had been doing and extremely good job. She laid down in the shallow stream clothes and all and let the water roll over her.

"All of these damn dead corpses around makes it hard to sniff her out." A wolf oni on a tether whined. It was a huge wolf was in its true form and was about the size of a small horse with brown and cream fur and huge black eyes.

"Just find her!" Kuraiyoru hissed. "Your life and freedom are at stake here."

"She must not be here anymore because there's no scent of her anywhere." The wolf complained again.

"Sniffed harder!" Kuroi snapped beating the beast with a huge club. The wolf staggered up and put its snout to the dirt. The wolf oni suddenly howled and took off running ripping the tether out of Kuraiyoru's hands. "BAKA YARO!" They took off after it but were stopped dead in their tracks when they found it pinned to a tree by a large purple crystal spike. They looked up to see a dripping miko panting and holding her two hands together with her fingertips touching and her thumbs pointed towards them.

"What do you want from me! Soul Searing Spike!" She screeched sending another huge crystal shooting towards them from her hands.

"Sesshoku." InuYasha muttered dropping out of his lounging tree and racing to the source of the sound. He found Kuraiyoru had already run one of his foot long claws through her stomach as he gripped her at the throat. "Sesshoku!" He lunged forward baring his claws "Sankon Tetsou!" He screamed as he careened forward and was met with a handful of Kuroi's foot long claws to the stomach.

"Inu... InuYa... sha..." Sesshoku gasped wide-eyed as he doubled over on the ground and Kuroi pulled his claws out and licked them. A huge bright seal on her forehead cracked and started breaking leaving only a small chunk remaining.

"You must be a strong miko indeed to be keeping a hanyou brat as a pet." He mused as he licked. She gritted her teeth and felt her anger rise as InuYasha lunged forward again and met both hands, one in each shoulder. Just as a fire swelled up within her, Kuraiyoru thrust his claws into her chest producing a horrendous cracking from breaking bone and crystal. A huge light surged out of her knocking Kuraiyoru off of her. She stood firmly planted in the ground as her body twisted and convulsed a low growl left her lips as she became engulfed in fire.

"Now this is the fight I was hoping for. Seems you get charged up watching someone you care about get roughed up." Kuraiyoru grabbed InuYasha by the throat and spun one of his arms behind his back twisting it painfully.

"Let him go or you'll regret it." She hissed grasping her chest and pulling out the two halves of the crystal. She clutched the halves tight in one hand and everyone looked on dumbstruck as her hair flickered between white and black.

"Say Kuraiyoru... Doesn't she look a tad familiar to you?" Kuroi wondered looking at the stronger youkai. "Doesn't this scene feel a bit familiar?"

"Indeed... Then she wasn't mortal and she didn't die... Powerful enchantments Saikoinu had in his arsenal along with those damned swords. Heh. Seems he was as low as everyone made him out to be. Damned mortal lover glad he's gone now."

"Stop talking about my Poppa..." She hissed angrily as her hair flashed white for the final time and remained the color this time. Long dangerous claws and fangs soon followed as she reached her hand up and embedded the now whole crystal back in her chest. "Leave now or I'll be forced to take drastic measures." She stood up straight looking at the ground with her hands held limp at her sides.

"Kuroi. Take care of her." The smaller youkai nodded and disappeared at blazing speed. To the shock of himself and Kuraiyoru, she grabbed his unseen hand as he attacked and now clutched it fiercely flames dancing on it wear she held.

"Pure Spirit Wave." She said indifferently as she placed her hand on his chest and purple light shot out of it into him; he screamed in terror and pain. Kuraiyoru left InuYasha to aide his friend; he ripped him away from the oni miko and they both lay on the ground as she stood hovering over them. Kuroi ripped his shirt apart and eyed the scorched mark on his chest. His skin there was white and human in appearance.

"What the hell did you do to me?!" He hissed covering the affected area back up with his brown shirt.

"A pure oni, is a happy oni." She replied with a smile. "I am after all a miko. Purification comes in the job description."

"Kuroi. We'll take care of this later. Saikoinu's daughter and her power will be ours soon enough." He grabbed his weakened comrade and took off into the forest. She walked over to InuYasa and split her wrist open with a claw and let some of the blood drip on his wounds.

"Why didn't you kill them?" He wondered in disbelief.

"The small one has a pureness in him small as it maybe it still exists. I can't kill anything with a pure spark left. I refuse." She let out a blood curdling scream as her body started convulsing. Her hair started flickering between white and black again finally settling on black. She slumped over onto InuYasha and he looked at her dumbstruck a second time.

"What the hell are you? An oni or a human? Or an oni that can control your appearance so completely that you don't even give off youki?" He wondered grabbing her. Little did he know the last piece of the puzzle was about to be unfolded.

---------- ---------- ----------

"Momma! Come on Poppa's going to be home soon let's go to the gate and meet him!" A little girl shouted jumping up and down happily. A beautiful mortal woman strolled out of the large manor house dressed in a miko's outfit and grasped Sesshoku's hand happily.

"Have you missed your Poppa?" She wondered as they walked down the long stone paved avenue.

"Of course! Poppa plays with me when my brothers won't and he makes me feel like I'm just as big and strong as them. Besides he always brings me back a big wonderful story!" She jumped in the air happily then broke away and started skipping around in circles. "He makes me feel special like them even though I'm not." She said as she stopped skipping and waited for the woman to catch up.

"Oh but you are special! You're a very smart and kind girl. If you weren't would you have given Sesshomaru that sash of his mother's that you found? No you would have kept it." She pointed out. "You remember the pretty yellow one."

"I did it because I know why Sesshomaru is so upset and angry all the time." She replied with a tinge of sadness.

"Really? Why is that?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"I promised him I wouldn't even though he never asked me to promise." She replied taking the woman's hand again.

"Why do you like him so much when all he does is beat you up and call you names?" She wondered as they neared the gate.

"Because he gives me a reason to try to be strong. I'm going to become a big powerful miko like you so I can make him proud of me and proud to know me." She beamed with an innocent smile. The woman just laughed nervously and shook her head. They stopped near the gate and stood there waiting for the lord of the house to return. "Look it's Raioko!" She beamed happily as she pointed to the mortal boy now opening the gate. Something flashed in the miko's mind and she shoved Sesshoku away.

"That's not Raioko..." She hissed; at the same time Raioko was shoved into the dirt and two oni burst over him and lunged towards her. "Holy Light Spike!" She screamed bringing her hands together and sent five purple crystal spikes flying towards them. They dodged them all easily and took turns slashing her on one side each.

"Momma!" Sesshoku screamed getting to her feet.

"There's the little prize..." The large black one beamed with an evil smirk. In a split second he had her up in one hand and was sniffing her over.

"Kuraiyoru are you sure she's a hanyou? She doesn't look like any hanyou."

"That's because she's not Kuroi. We've been tricked." The larger one replied. They both looked over at the bleeding and nearly dead miko who was laughing lightly.

"Sesshoku is adopted. The daughter you seek was killed and burned at birth to keep her from being hunted by devils like you." Kuraiyoru let out a howl before driving his claws through Sesshoku and dropping her.

"We're leaving Kuroi." They both turned and dashed away before the lord of the manor could return.

"Now maintaining your disguise will largely be yours Sesshoku." The miko whispered as she crawled to her. "You have to try to keep the balance on the pure side. Or you'll be discovered." She slumped limp and dead on the small girl just as Saikoinu walked through the opened front gate.

"InuYasha. What happened here?" The little oni slowly climbed down from a tree and walked up to the youkai hanging his head.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect them Poppa but I knew they were way to strong for me." He whispered.

"But not for Sesshomaru... Come on now there's business to attend to." He wrapped an arm around the boy and hugged him before walking past him and picking up the dead miko. "Take care of her will you?" He motioned to Sesshoku.


	5. Sesshoku's Plan

_**Chapter 5: Sesshoku's Plan**_

"Why... Why can't I remember you?" InuYasha gasped as he let go of Sesshoku. "Why are you showing me these things if you don't seem to do remember them yourself?" 

"I do but she makes me forget them." Sesshoku whispered as her eyes fluttered open.

"Who?" InuYasha wondered stooping back down and helping her sit up.

"Momma. It's her enchantment. She protects me and makes me forget things when Poppa's spell temporarily wears off." She replied after a suppressed groan of pain. She rubbed her fingers over the glowing fragment of a seal on her forehead.

"What are you really?" He wondered.

"What do you think I am really?" She looked up at him with sad eyes.

"A han-" She pressed her fingers to his lips and made him stop speaking. A simple nod was her response as she removed her fingers. "Why don't you want me to say it? To good to accept your label?" He wondered defensively as he backed away.

"No because everyone knowing it puts you in great danger. They want my blood to become immortal. There's a myth, a legend, maybe it's real, I don't know. But once a youkai slaughtered a female dog demon and used her blood to strengthen every part of himself. To his delight he became immortal and invincible. I can't risk you if something stronger comes along looking for me. I can't risk anything." She explained using the tree to pull herself up.

"But how do you know that you can do it?" He wondered taking her arm and helping her stand up. She slit her wrist open with one of his claws and painted a spot on his arm, a small spot just above his wrist.

"Hold your arm up." She ordered as she took a few steps back. He did so and she closed her eyes "Holy Light Spike!" A weak purple beam shot through the air right towards the bloody spot. It broke over it and when the light faded InuYasha looked at the scorched spot. He wiped away the blackness and saw no mark underneath, not even a burn.

"I didn't even feel it." He gasped looking at her wide-eyed. She just closed her eyes and nodded before slinking down to the ground again.

"If an evil youkai were to get a hold of me you can see what the results could be." She whispered sadly as she watched the slit on her wrist slowly heal. He walked over and slumped down in front of her and held her head up with his hand.

"I'm going to protect you." He said simply before slipping one arm under hers and the other under her knees. He picked her up and started carrying her back to the cave.

"InuYasha there are oni that are stronger than Sesshomaru you know." She commented as he carried her along.

"What's your point?" He replied gruffly without looking down.

"That is my point. What if an oni comes along that we can't defeat with our combined power? Then what are we going to do? We're going to have to run to keep them from getting me and then that's all we're going to do. I can't put you in danger like that." She whispered sadly.

"I'll train with you and we'll both get stronger. Don't worry about it we'll be fine Sis." He replied like it was a simple fact. She reached up and smacked him across the face as hard as she could; he stopped and looked down at her angrily. "What was that for?!"

"InuYasha be reasonable! We're only hanyous! We'll never be as strong as Poppa or some of these youkai around today!" She screamed as tears streamed down her face. "I'm not going to risk you!" He bent down and laid her down gently on the ground. He calmly walked over facing the nearest tree; suddenly he let out a scream and ran his fist through it utterly destroying it. Calmly he turned around and looked at her.

"You're right but what can we do?" He whispered clenching his fists. "Sesshomaru won't give us a second thought. He wants you as bad as some of those stronger oni..." She could tell he was angry and desperately searching for the answer.

"There's only one thing I can think to do." She whispered and he looked up at her. "There's this thing called the Shikon no Tama. It's supposed to give power to oni, incredible power. There's a priestess that lives at a temple not far from here that is in charge of purifying it. If you can steal it, I can finish purifying it then maybe you can use it to become a full youkai and protect me."

"A crystal that gives power to oni?" He repeated the words. "It would be easy to get?" He wondered his face easing.

"The miko who guards it is very strong otherwise they wouldn't have trusted her with it. You'd have to be very careful." She replied worried.

"What about you? How would you take care of yourself without me?" He wondered sharing her worry now.

"Get me back to the cave and I'll take care of everything." He nodded and picked her back up and carried her off to the cave as fast as he could.

"You stay here and be safe until I get back." He ordered standing at the entrance of the cave. "I'll seal the cave with rocks just as a precaution all right?" She nodded and smiled at him.

"Good-bye InuYasha. Be careful." She replied walking over and hugging him. She only came up to his lower chest. He wrapped an arm around her and gave her a quick squeeze then pulled away. She backed away and watched him disappear out the opening. A moment later the cave filled with darkness as rocks piled up in front of the opening. Sesshoku placed her hands on the rocks and muttered a sealing spell; a moment later a symbol glowed fiercely on the rocks then faded. She lay down on the ground at the far back of the cave and began chanting. As she did the symbol on her forehead started to become whole again.

---------- ---------- ----------

"There that should do it." InuYasha thought as he dusted his hands off and looking at the pile of rocks before him. He suddenly caught a whiff of an oni. The smell was one very familiar but not who he expected. "Who is it? It's not Sesshomaru though it feels very similar..."

"InuYasha!" A deep and strong voice called out. "You've grown considerably since I saw you last!" InuYasha spun around and spotted another hanyou dog demon with dark brown eyes staring back at him from a nearby tree.

"Who are you and how do you know me?" He hissed defensively dropping into a fighting stance.

"So the enchantment isn't completely broken yet then. Though you probably wouldn't recognize me now. I was mortal when you last saw me..." InuYasha's eyes shot open in surprise.

"Who... are you?" He wondered confused.

"It doesn't really matter what my name is. You won't remember it in a few seconds anyways. I am Raioko." With that he lunged forward with speed greater than InuYasha had ever seen before and pinned him to the rocks. He held him there with one hand and with the other traced a symbol on his forehead and let go. InuYasha felt his mind go fuzzy as his body grew heavy and weak.

"Aug... What a nice nap." InuYasha yawned as he hopped out of a tree. "Now what was I doing? Right the Shikon no Tama and becoming a full youkai! No one's going to stop me from being truly powerful now!" He snickered and took off into the deep forest. "Where did I hear about this thing again?" He wondered as he bolted through the forest. "Oh well it doesn't matter just as long as it does what I heard it should."


	6. The Mysterious Cave

A/N: From here on out this is going to be a spoiler for the end of the anime series. If you haven't finished the anime or don't know what happens turn back now! You have been warned! I decided it would be easier to tack this on to the end instead of doing a completely AU type thing.

_**Chapter 6: The Mysterious Cave**_

InuYasha, Kagome, and crew walked through a forest and the bright, warm day. "So just why are we coming over here again?" InuYasha groaned.

"Because Kaede said that a friend from neighboring temple reported a large amount of oni activity in these woods." Kagome repeated.

"And why can't they take care of it? This is a waste of time." He griped. "We have to get the Shikon no Tama back together before some other idiot like Naraku comes along!" He was still complain but stopped dead in his tracks. Kagome walked up and gripped his arm tightly.

"What's the matter?" Miroku asked urgently as he walked up beside them.

"I sense the energy of Shikon shards. A couple of them in one spot." Kagome whispered.

"I smell dead oni." InuYasha growled.

"Do you think it could be Naraku still?" Sango wondered stepping up beside Kagome; Shippo and Kirara not far behind.

"I don't sense any youki or smell anything beside death." InuYasha replied looking around warily.

"Let's go but let's be careful." Kagome said looking up at InuYasha. He nodded silently and on they went. "The energy is coming from over there." Kagome said pointing past the trees in front of them.

"That's where the smell is coming from." InuYasha added. Cautiously they proceeded forward to the clearing ahead. In front of them was a pile of dead oni littering the base of pile of rocks. One looked up at them faintly and smiled.

"You'll not get them either. Because of that damn miko no one will get the Shikon shards." It said tauntingly but weakly.

"What are you talking about?" Miroku wondered taking a step towards the oni.

"A miko haunts this cave and she kills any thing that tries to enter with her damn enchantments." It answered holding up it arms; they had been half burnt off. It dropped its arms heavily and tilted its head to the side as life left it. InuYasha scoffed disgustedly as he held one sleeve to his nose.

"Kagome. Shoot one of your arrows at it. That will probably break whatever enchantments she has on the cave." Kagome nodded and drew an arrow in her bow. She sent it flying at the pile of rocks. To everyone's shock the arrow bounced off and flew into the sky.

"What kind of enchantment is it if Kagome's arrow can't break it?" Sango wondered a bit shocked.

"The oni said it was a miko that haunts this cave. Perhaps then Kagome's arrow bounced because it was pure energy against pure energy." Miroku speculated as he sat down and stared at the pile of rocks. "The more important question is how the miko got the shards and how she would be dead so soon after getting them."

"Also why is she hiding in this cave." Shipo added.

"Maybe she sealed herself in the cave to keep demons from getting the Shikon shards she found?" Sango offered.

"And died protecting them." Kagome wondered aloud. InuYash huffed impatiently.

"Well if Kagome can't break this stupid barrier then I'll just have to break it myself!" InuYasha shouted baring his claws and cracking his knuckles.

"I think it's going to take more than that..." Miroku pointed out. "Besides you'll probably get severely injured if you touch that barrier with your bare hands." He pointed to the recently deceased oni with the end of his staff.

"Good thinking Miroku." InuYasha conceded drawing Tetsusaiga. "Kaze no Kizu!" He shouted leaping into the air and sending the massive attack crashing down on the barrier. To his horror and dismay it bounced off and headed right towards Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kagome.

"Get down!" Miroku shouted grabbing both the girls and shoving them on the ground. InuYasha jumped down at the last second and blocked them with Tetsusaiga.

"Damn barrier!" He yelled angrily lunging towards it and slashing it with the sword. "ARG!" He shouted and without thinking smashed into the blue barrier with his claws. To everyone's amazement, the barrier shattered. "Finally!" He shouted irritated. "Sankon Tetsou!" The rocks blocking off the cave fragmented to dust under the force of his attack. InuYasha landed back just in front of the others who were coughing out dust.

"Did you have to disintegrate the rocks InuYasha?" Kagome griped standing up and brushing herself off.

"No I just... Well..." He replied defensively. "They're gone now aren't they!"

"Yes and it proves the story that oni told us. There really must be the spirit of a miko haunting this cave. I've never felt such a strong pure aura. Not even from Kagome." Miroku said peering into the cave. "I don't know if we should desecrate this grave anymore than we already have."

"Maybe you're right Miroku." Sango conceded resting Hiraikotsu on the ground.

"Yeah I'm sure if it was sealed up it's was sealed up for a reason." Kagome added. "But still if there's Shikon shards in there we have to get them."

"I bet she was a beautiful miko too..." Miroku mused and Sango immediately smacked him upside the face. InuYasha hadn't taken his eyes off the darkness beyond the opening of the cave.

"If she died she died a long time ago. I don't smell anything dead in there." He said finally and everyone looked at him. "Or she didn't die here. With this cave sealed up like that the stench would have lingered..."

"Or she isn't dead at all?" Kagome wondered walking up next to him and looking into the cave.

"Let's go." InuYasha said moving forward and disappearing into the blackness. Everyone followed slowly. Kagome pulled a flashlight out of her yellow book bag and shined it around a few times. "Stop." The hanyou snapped suddenly and froze in place. Ahead off them, deeper in the cave there was a glittering spot where the light hit. Silently they moved forward slowly. As they got closer to the object it became apparent that it was a big block of crystal; when they got even closer they realize something or someone was in it!

"What is this?" Sango wondered with a gasp.

"A very advanced form of barrier spell." Miroku responded looking it over slowly and carefully. "I've never seen anything like it and certainly couldn't perform it myself for any length of time."

"Well the Shikon energy is coming from this block." Kagome said looking at it in awe.

"Are you sure?" InuYasha wondered looking at her; he had a strange sort of pained look on his face Kagome had never seen before. She shook her head and tried not to make her worry over his expression obvious. "Then let's break this thing open and find them!" He threw Tetsusaiga over his head.

"Wait!" Miroku shouted grabbing InuYasha's hands. "Maybe since the shards have been kept safe here all this time we should leave them here in her keeping until we know for certain Naraku is dead." He suggested and Inuyasha let the sword settle to the ground next to him.

"Miroku... If Naraku finds it here he'll just melt this barrier with his poison and use her against us. Admit it, she has to be incredibly strong to maintain this barrier and Naraku will realize it and try to use her." InuYasha protested.

"Maybe her strength is her ally. As strong as she must be she could probably resist Naraku's control could she not?" Sango said leaning on Hiraikotsu and looking at the crystal block.

"Miroku do you think she would be strong enough to defeat Naraku if he is alive and found her?" Kagome wondered looking at him thoughtfully.

"If she's hiding here with this power she may not realize just how strong she is..." He responded with a voice deep in thought.

"Do you think she'd help us if we woke her up?" Shippo wondered poking the crystal block. It zapped him a little and he pulled his hand away. "Ouch."

"She's a good and pure miko so undoubtedly she would if she isn't afraid." He said with a nod. "But again if she's hiding there must be a reason... If she's very fearful she may just be a liability and not an asset."

"Feh. Like Myouga..." InuYasha quipped as he plopped down on the ground bored. "So what are we going to do? I'm tired of wasting time here." He added in a voice showing his boredom. In his mind he was thinking. "Why do I feel like I've been here before? Why does this all feel like it should be very familiar?" He stood up again and looked Tetsusaiga over.

"This is a really hard choice so we must look at all the consequences first." Miroku went on. They continued debating the issue while InuYasha inspected Tetsusaiga. He ran his finger gently down the dull edge facing him when something that shouldn't have happened, happened. The dull edge cut his finger open. He looked at the blood trickle down his finger in shock. Suddenly Kagome reached up and grabbed her cheek.

"Ouch!" She gasped as she pulled her hand away to show blood on her fingers; everyone looked at her concerned. "I wondered what cut me..." Between the gaps in her fingers she saw a glittering a shard of the Shikon no tama stuck to the top of the crystal block. "A Shikon shard cut me!" She gasped pointing. Everyone looked on in shock as instead of being absorbed by the barrier the barrier started growing thicker.

She's using the Shikon shards to increase the barrier?!" Sango gasped in shock.

"It's apparent she isn't guarding the Shikon shards now then. She's guarding herself but why?" Miroku pondered. Everyone started discussing what to do as InuYasha stood up and sheathed Tetsusaiga. As he did so Miroku spun around to leave and hit him with his staff. He fell forward into the crystal block bracing himself on it with his hands. He took a moment to realize what had happened and a few drops smeared on the crystal.

"Hey watch what you're doing!" He snapped spinning around and looking at Miroku.

"Well if you had been paying more attention you would have known we were leaving." Kagome interjected. It looked like she was going to say something else but she was interrupted by an unexpected sound... A cracking sound. They all turned to see a crack had formed in the crystal block, a crack that was growing with each passing second...


	7. Shard Magnet

_**Chapter 7: Shard Magnet**_

"InuYasha! What did you do?" Kagome gasped as they watched the crystal slowly crack apart.

"I just landed on it." He gasped pulling his hand back and letting it dangle at his side. With one mighty crack the crystal split completely in half and there was a rush of wind away from it.

"What is that?" Sango wondered bracing herself against the dust and rocks.

"Her power is truly incredible I've never felt anything like it!" Miroku called over the rushing noise. Not even Kikyo gives off power like this!" The wind stopped blowing and Miroku cocked his head and looked at the cracked block funny. "What happened to it? Was that simply the energy that had been trapped in and under the crystal escaping all at once?" He wondered aloud.

"Now what?" InuYasha wondered looking over at the monk.

"See if you can pull that broke half of the block off. It should be no problem for you InuYasha." He said pointing to the half of the block closest to them. "It looks like we have no choice but to let the old priestess out now." He sighed. Inuyasha put Tetsusaiga away and rolled up his sleeves; he pulled a big piece of the crystal away and as it crashed to the ground everyone gasped in shock.

"She's... Just a kid!" Sango muttered uncertainly.

"How could a girl of her age maintain something like this?" Miroku wondered doumbfounded. Suddenly the crystal disintegrated and three bright purple shards embedded themselves in her chest.

"InuYasha... The Shikon presence I feel is coming from her chest..." Kagome whispered wrapping her arm around his.

"I'll get this other crystal off so you can get it." He smirked lunging forward and punching the other side. It shattered into hundreds of pieces and fell away. They carefully lifted the chunks away and the more of her they revealed the slower InuYasha moved.

"What's wrong InuYasha?" Shippo asked and everyone looked at the hanyou concerned.

"I feel like I should somehow know her but..." He replied in a far off voice.

"That's impossible up until recently you've been asleep in that tree so there's no way." Miroku said heaving another piece away. "There's no way she could have been in here that long and maintained all of this and still be alive. It's impossible!"

"She is still alive right?" Kagome wondered looking the miko over carefully. She gasped when she noticed blood rushing out from under her hands, which were carefully positioned, on her chest.

"Kagome?" InuYasha looked at her worried.

"She... She's bleeding... And the Shikon shards are definitely in her chest!" Kagome gasped pointing to the spot. Miroku reached out hesitantly and pulled the miko's hands away; as they fell to her sides he gasped and took a step back.

"That can't be what I think it is..." He said doubtfully as he shook his head. "It can't be another Shikon no Tama..."

"Another what?!" Everyone gasped in unison.

"This isn't good!" Shippo blurted out as he hugged Kagome's leg. "Another one?!"

"Well it's too big to just be a shard. And there's three separate ones stuck to it. It seems like half of another crystal is embedded in her chest." Miroku explained in a serious tone.

"We should take her to Kaede." Kagome said quietly.

"Definitely. So I'll carry her." Miroku said slyly and he was promptly smacked with hiraikotsu.

"InuYasha can take her out to Kirara." Sango said and looked at InuYasha. "All right InuYasha? InuYasha?" Kagome waved her hand in front of his face as he stared blankly at her.

"InuYasha?" She wondered getting in front of him.

"Get the shards first Kagome." He replied quietly and she nodded slowly before reaching over and grabbing the three shards.

"It's strange... It's like the shards weren't attracted to her or she wasn't attracting them of her own will... It's like they were attracted to that crystal in her chest." Miroku said thoughtfully as InuYasha picked the girl up in his arms.

"Yeah and they're already purified too." Kagome added looking one of the Shards over between her fingers.

"She's an odd case isn't she?" Sango mused as they walked out of the cave. "InuYasha... Kirara's right here." She said looking down at the little white demon. "InuYasha?"

"What's wrong with him Kagome?" Shippou wondered looking up at her as she watched him walk away with the miko.

"I'm not sure Shippou. I wish I knew." She replied worried.

"Maybe she reminds him of a painful part of his past?" Miroku offered as speculation.

"I know it's around here somewhere I can feel it!" An evil and angry sounding voice hissed as it drew near them. Miroku dropped into a defensive position as Sango armed hiraikotsu in her free hand. Kirara growled and became engulfed in flames as it grew. InuYasha turned around and bolted to get back by Kagome. Suddenly huge tentacle flew out of the trees and grabbed the miko from his arms. "So you stole my shard you little miko bitch!" The voice hissed again as a huge tree looking creature emerged from the depths. It was old and haggard looking as it drew her close and looked her over carefully. "What luck! Something stronger!" He chimed as he took another tentacle and prepared to extract the piece from her chest.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango yelled and let her demon bone boomerang fly. It bounced of a barrier and back in her outstretched hand.

"Stupid human..." The tree creature scoffed and laughed.

"Stupid tree." InuYasha scoffed as he pulled out Tetsusaiga and it glowed and blood red. "I can break that barrier easy with my Tetsusaiga! KAZE NO KIZU!" Before he could let the attack fly huge roots flew out of the ground and encased all of them in tight thick cocoons. "Baka... I've faced Nemenka and gotten out of it just fine." He smiled as he flexed and tried to break the roots. The tree just stood there smiling.

"Baka... Namenka? Nemenka is a child compared to me! Tell me pup have you ever fought an ancient youkai?! I highly doubt it!" The tentacle hand hovering over the girl thrust into her chest and it screamed as red sparks flew out everywhere. With a bit of a struggle he started pulling it out; then the girl started letting out pained screams.

"Leave her alone!" InuYasha shouted as he struggled to get free. The demon tree stopped pulling long enough to look at InuYasha and smirk. Huge spikes shot out of the roots and drove through him and he gasped as blood spurted everywhere.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome screeched in pain.

"Don't worry about it Kagome these are just little scratches." He replied gasping a bit.

"Look at that..." Miroku gasped looking at the miko in the demon's hands. She was glowing a dark purple and the energy coming off of her caused her long black hair to undulate.

"What the?" The tree demon wondered as a huge red light poured out of her chest. When the light faded she was floating just in front of him and the tentacle that had been wrapped around her had been scorched away. "You pretentious brat!" He shouted sending four more tentacles flying at her from all directions. The purple energy around her flared and they disintegrated. "How the hell can you be so strong?"

"You're old..." She replied in an indifferent voice. She drew her hands up to her chest and touched her fingertips and pointed her thumbs to him. "SOUL PIERCING STRIKE!" A huge purple energy spike flew forward and shot right through him. She stood there breathing heavily as he screeched in pain then started laughing. The wound started filling in quickly and he sent more tentacle flying at her. One went right through her stomach and she burned it off with pure energy from her hands.

"You're just as good dead to me as alive." He smirked as he drew the tentacles back and watched blood soak her white shirt. She smiled and looked up at him as she threw the end of the tentacle aside. She started laughing quietly as she ripped off the torn part of her shirt to reveal a wound that was already healing. The tree demon started laughing maniacally as everyone else gasped and looked on in awe. "You're the healing miko! The one that can give power to oni with your blood! This is a delightful treat in deed!"

"Healing miko?" Everyone gasped.

"I won't let you use me or my power youkai scum!" She shouted but as soon as she did five tentacles shot at her; two went clear through her then started wrapping her up.

"Yes! I can feel it! The power of your blood!" He gasped with delight as he spun her around to face the others. She was barely conscious again and blood poured from her mid section.

"SANKON TETSUO!" InuYasha screamed as the roots around him were blasted away.

"What are you going to do now hanyou scum? Blast me and the girl with your attack?" The tree demon laughed as he drew her closer to him. "If you can break the barrier..."

"Damn it... To break the barrier I'd have to risk hurting her..." He thought as he held Tetsusaiga at his side. The miko looked up at him weakly then gritted her teeth and closed her eyes as she let out a scream and purple energy flew out shattered the barrier. InuYasha rushed in and used 'Sankon Tetsuo' to free her and dropped her off behind him before unleashing the 'Kaze no Kizu.'

"No! How can I be defeated by a miko bitch and a hanyou?!" The tree screeched as it as blown to pieces. InuYasha dropped to his knees and then his stomach as blood puddled up underneath him.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome screeched rushing to his side. The miko slowly and weakly crawled over to him but collapsed before she got there.

"You shouldn't move!" Miroku urged as he carefully rolled her over.

"I can at least heal him... Just... get me over there..." She gasped holding her stomach. "Do it!" Miroku nodded and picked her up and put her next to him. "Paint him with my blood... It will heal him." She gasped before her eyes closed and she fell into unconsciousness again. They did as she said and sure enough a few minutes after painting his major wounds they disappeared.

"What happened?" He groaned as he came to.

"She healed you InuYasha." Kagome said pointing to the fallen miko.

"We have to hurry and get her back to Kaede's so you can bandage her up Kagome!" Sango urged as kirara laid down next to them.

"Ride with Sango Kagome! I can move faster!" InuYasha ordered as he leaned forward and picked up the girl and took off into the forest.

"InuYasha..." Kagome thought worried and as got on Kirara's back. "What's going on?"


End file.
